South Africa’s national team coach, Hugo Broos, has voiced strong dissatisfaction with what he perceives as inconsistent refereeing decisions during the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches. Broos specifically highlighted a contrast in how fouls committed by South African player Themba Zwane and Argentinian star Lionel Messi were handled by officials. He expressed frustration over Zwane receiving a yellow card for a challenge, while a similar action by Messi went unpunished. The coach believes this discrepancy demonstrates unfair treatment and raises questions about the standard of officiating. Broos’s comments suggest a concern that certain players may receive preferential treatment from referees. This criticism comes after a World Cup qualifying match where the refereeing decisions were a point of contention for the South African team. He did not specify the exact match or details of the incidents beyond the differing outcomes for the two players.